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About WNED-TV

WNED-TV consistently ranks among the most-watched U.S. public television stations in prime time. Our popular line-up draws from PBS and various other sources, including the BBC and American Public Television. As a leading producer of single-topic documentaries, our national and regional broadcasts have been seen by millions of people across the continent, stimulating cultural and heritage tourism to the Buffalo/Niagara/Toronto region.

ThinkBright and Well/WORLD TV continues its commitment to quality health and wellness programming. Also in the mix are outstanding news and information shows as well as independent films with a global perspective.

About WBFO-FM 88.7

WBFO-FM 88.7 has the largest radio newsroom staff in the Buffalo/Niagara region. In addition to extensive local and regional journalism, WBFO also features the best of public radio from NPR, PRI, the BBC and American Public Media.

WBFO-FM 88.7 Productions

About Classical 94.5 WNED

Classical 94.5 WNED is a robust full-time service that provides the best of our regional, national, and international classical music scene. Some of public radio’s most knowledgeable announcers curate programming from a music library boasting more than 32,000 CDs.

ThinkBright is the education and outreach arm of WNED | WBFO. This department creates educational materials related to WNED-TV productions, distributes materials to educators and organizations in Western New York, coordinates PBS TeacherLine NY and promotes English and math literacy throughout our community.

Students will watch the Tragedy and Hope Stories of Painkiller Addiction segments.

The facilitator will inspire a class discussion on what types of people the students think might become addicted to painkillers. It should be pointed out that anyone can become addicted. If time allows, the predisposition to addiction by genes may be touched upon. The facilitator should explain that recovery can happen, but it is a hard and lifelong commitment for addicts.

Students should be given time to research these treatment options on a computer:

outpatient (if a person does not comply, they may be forced to go to inpatient)

As they research, students should complete the Addiction Treatment Worksheet.

After enough time for computer research, a class discussion should occur based on treatment options they discovered and learned about.

Along with treatment, students will discuss what is needed for a “recovery lifestyle.” Healthy involvement in activities such as hobbies, sports, clubs in the community and school are recommended. The facilitator should point out that those options are great, but for an addict some of the components of a recovery lifestyle would be regularly talking with a counselor, regularly attending meetings, and staying away from other people who are using drugs. What other things can the students think of that might help with a recovery lifestyle?

Students will then write a fictional story about someone who becomes addicted to prescription painkillers and what their road to recovery looks like. Students should include at least one treatment option and at least one recovery lifestyle change. They should be specific in explaining what it takes to commit to recovery.

Assessment Task

Students should be active participants in all class discussions. Students will turn in a completed Addiction Treatment Worksheet and a fictional story about an addict’s treatment plan and road to recovery.

National Health Standards

Standard 3 - Students will demonstrate the ability to access valid information, products, and services to enhance health.

Standard 6 – Students will demonstrate the ability to use goal setting skills to enhance health.

Standard 7 – Students will demonstrate the ability to practice health-enhancing behaviors and avoid or reduce health risks.

Standard 8 - Students will demonstrate the ability to advocate for personal, family, and community health.

The facilitator introduces the topic of prescription painkiller addiction. In some cases the exposure to the drugs is by the choice of an individual.

Students will watch the Accessibility, Signs and Symptoms, and Treatment and Relapse segments from Tragedy and Hope Stories of Painkiller Addiction.

The facilitator will distribute the Treatment, Jail, or Death Worksheet. The class will read the quote at the top of the worksheet and complete the section on what they think the quote means.

The facilitator will start a discussion based on the quote and talk about the students’ comments and questions. Sometimes, inevitably, if you have an injury or condition, a doctor may prescribe medication for you. It should be made clear to the students that they need to be aware of the danger signs from taking the medication and also the ability to deny the medication if feasible.

The facilitator will distribute the Decisions and Consequences Flow Chart. Briefly discuss that many people feel that prescription drugs are safe to take, but that is a misconception. If people begin with prescription drug use there may be a high chance of addiction with a limited number of outcomes:

Treatment

Jail

Death

Show the other segments of the program, Ryan’s Story and Avi & Julie’s Story.

Have the students complete the rest of the Treatment, Jail, or Death Worksheet.

Conclude the class with a discussion of their answers and any other concerns that they may have regarding prescription drugs.

Assessment Task

Students should actively participate in all class discussions and turn in a completed Treatment, Jail, or Death Worksheet.

Extension Activity

Have the students write a letter to a younger sibling or relative. They should describe the consequences of prescription drug abuse and addiction. Students should explain that there are decisions one can make and things one can do that will help them avoid inevitable consequences.

Students will watch the Tragedy and Hope Stories of Painkiller Addiction segments featuring Ryan and Dr. Blondell.

The facilitator will start a class discussion based on the program segments.

In regards to Ryan’s Story – have any of the students felt compelled to act on a feeling? For example, have they ever felt compelled to continue eating even though they were full?

Dr. Blondell’s Segment – how many students agree with the statement about “brains being on autopilot?” How does a person overcome “autopilot?” Can they?

The facilitator will distribute the Quote Worksheet and students will review the quotes from the program given by Ryan and Dr. Blondell.

Students will complete the Quote Worksheet.

Assessment Task

Students should actively participate in the class discussion on decision making and how the brain works. Students will provide a written response to both of the quotes from Tragedy and Hope Stories of Painkiller Addiction on the Quote Worksheet.

Extension Activity

Have the students write a poem or song lyrics that contain their own analogy about addiction, hunger, and/or thirst and how the body and brain react to those needs.

National Health Standards

Standard 2- Students will analyze the influence of family, peers, culture, media, technology, and other factors on health behaviors.

Standard 5 - Students will demonstrate the ability to use decision making skills to enhance health.

Standard 7 - Students will demonstrate the ability to practice health-enhancing behaviors and avoid or reduce health risks.

What policy or laws could be developed and enforced to combat prescription drug abuse?

How can I help or possibly prevent someone abusing prescription drugs?

How are prescription pain medications being illegally distributed and obtained?

Procedures

Students will watch Tragedy and Hope Stories of Painkiller Addiction.

The facilitator will ask the students to think about how Michael, Brandie, and Christopher were first able to obtain drugs. How can ANYONE obtain drugs? Answers will be written on a Smartboard, chalkboard, or paper large enough for the whole class to see. Students should include examples from the stories in the program.

In the second class period students will view the Accessibility program segment.

The facilitator will distribute the article on the ISTOP legislation. Have a student or students read the article out loud. Have a discussion about this legislation. How will this combat prescription drug abuse?

The students should then be split up into groups of 4 or 5. Using what they learned from the ISTOP legislation article and the list of ways to obtain drugs, each group will think about other possible solutions and or regulations as to how we can better control prescription drug abuse.

In the third class period students will view the Parent Advocacy program segment.

The students will develop an awareness campaign based on their ideas. Students will create posters and flyers for their idea. Depending on time availability and/or access to technology, groups may create videos to use in their campaign.

In the fourth class period each group will present their ideas and awareness campaigns to the class. A PowerPoint presentation and other created materials will be shown.

Assessment Task

Students will develop an awareness campaign to combat prescription drug abuse. Groups of students will turn in posters and flyers. They will complete a class presentation using PowerPoint.

Extension Activities

Have the students write a letter to a politician (senator, council member etc.) sharing their ideas on how society can be more proactive in combating prescription drug abuse. What policy or laws could be put into effect that would help control the abuse of prescription medications?

Have the students develop a petition based on their prescription drug policy/laws ideas. They should share important information about prescription drug abuse with ten people (not in their class) and have them sign the petition.

Have students design a prescription drug-free pledge poster. Get other students in the school to sign the poster.

National Health Standards

Standard 1- Students will comprehend concepts related to health promotion and disease prevention to enhance health.

Standard 2- Students will analyze the influence of family, peers, culture, media, technology, and other factors on health behaviors.

Standard 8 – Students will demonstrate the ability to advocate for personal, family, and community health.

Students will watch the segment from Tragedy and Hope Stories of Painkiller Addiction.

The facilitator will distribute the Nature vs. Nurture Fact Sheet.Students will read in small groups or on their own. They can circle any items they would like to discuss or vocabulary words they are unsure of.

After the sheet is read, the class will have a discussion based on facts and the vocabulary words above.The facilitator should be sure to clarify vocabulary terms for as necessary.

The facilitator should pass out the Protective and Risk Factors Worksheet after a brief explanation of what environmental and risk factors are and the different domains they apply to. Students should fill in their sheets independently so they can include factors that relate to their personal lives.

Upon completion, the facilitator will conduct a class discussion to examine examples that fall under each domain for both risk and protective factors.

Next, the facilitator will explain the Family History Interview. It should be made clear that the Family History Interview will count as part of their grade. Students will realize how essential this information is based on class discussion and the completion of the worksheet.

Facilitator Note: The facilitator needs to be aware of the sensitive nature of the Family History Interview. The student does not need to complete this with an immediate family member. Depending on the student’s home life and what they may be going through, this type of discussion could be problematic. The most important thing is the awareness of the topic and that the student gets some information about their genetic family history. The facilitator should also use discretion when grading this portion of the assignment. It should be done on a case by case basis.

Assessment Task

Students should be active participants in class discussion, turn in the Protective and Risk Factors Worksheet as well as the Family History Interview.

National Health Standards

Standard 1- Students will comprehend concepts related to health promotion and disease prevention to enhance health.

Standard 2- Students will analyze the influence of family, peers, culture, media, technology, and other factors on health behaviors.

Standard 4- Students will demonstrate the ability to use interpersonal communication skills to enhance health and avoid or reduce health risks.

Standard 7 – Students will demonstrate the ability to practice health-enhancing behaviors and avoid or reduce health risks.

WNED ǀ WBFO is a trusted public media resource that enriches its audiences by providing educational, entertaining programming and services, as well as engaging the Western New York and Southern Ontario communities through cultural and civic involvement.